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Keeping and maintaining marine life can be a challenge for people who are new to the hobby. It can especially difficult when you have difficult to maintain species. After all, there are so many fish out there and so many choices – and if things weren’t confusing enough – many of the species that are commonly found in pet stores and other places aren’t easy to maintain.

Today’s blog is going to be about the species of fish that beginners should avoid putting into their tank until they’re ready. If you see a fish that you are interested in on this list, then maybe it’s something you’ll want to reconsider. Let’s jump right in!

Filefish

Filefish comes from the same order as pufferfish. They’re not the worst choice on this list, but they’re certainly not a good one. The issue is that they’re a little destructive. They’ll frequently go after your corals when on an empty stomach – and have also been known to chase invertebrates like urchins around when in search of food.

You need to keep up a steady flow of food as they tend to like to graze – AND it needs to be both of the vegetable type and the meat type. They’re a great choice for experienced owners, but we recommend staying away if you’re a beginner.

Eels

In many cases, there are just some species that aren’t just best left to experienced tank owners – but better off left in the wild, period. That’s our take on eels – and more specifically – ribbon eels. The fact is – most end up dead in a few weeks of purchase and they don’t handle captivity well at all.

The biggest issue is their diet. They refuse feeders often and get easily stressed. They’ll often put themselves on stress patterns and well, they just waste away. They’re absolutely beautiful animals to have and trust us when we say we get the temptation, but you’re best off leaving them be. Especially if you’re a beginner.

Seahorses

Seahorses definitely fall into that ‘great in theory’ category, but almost never work out as expected. Again – the issue is a rather complicated pattern of care. They need to feed three times a day, be in a very friendly-to-seahorsies tank and the water needs to be kept meticulously. Sound like a lot? Well, because it is. Most beginners don’t want to put up with the maintenance and if you don’t, you’ll lose your seahorses. So we recommend that you just pass.

Lionfish

There’s a lot of lionfish out there – but we’re talking about your classic, definitive ‘lionfish,’ here. They are one of the most beautiful species you can own, but you’re going to need an awful lot of dedication to keep them going.

They have three qualities about them that will be a challenge: their size, their aggression levels and their spikes. They get big quick and like to eat anything that can fit into their mouth. They can even sting you. So – if you’re new to this whole fish tank thing – there are literally hundreds of other species who’d be a better choice.

Owning a fish tank is a wonderful experience. Just make sure that if you decide to get into it that you take things a step at a time. Good luck with your new aquarium! You’re going to love it!

Owning an aquarium is a fantastic hobby and for most of us – it’s a great source of enjoyment in our life. That being said – it’s not cheap! In fact, expenses can pile up quickly from new gravel and food to the bump in your electrical bill and the cost of the fish and plants themselves.

While it’s better to do things right than on the cheap – that doesn’t mean you should be mindlessly blowing through your money. There are things that you can do both the right way and affordably. Today, we’re going to share a few of those things with you.

Here’s some ways you can get the most out of your tank without blowing the bank. Let’s jump right in!

Filters

Bio balls are a huge cost saver, but hey – we’re biased! Another way to cut down on the costs of filtering your tank are sponge filters. It basically picks up mulm, debris and waste and filters it out of the water for a nice, tidy cost between $5 and $25. While some folks worry about the idea of multiple air pumps, there are industrial pumps available that run sponge filters so you should be able to find a solution relatively quickly.

Food

People spend a lot more money than they plan on fish foods and sometimes end up cleaning more of it out of the tank then they actually feed their fish. If you’re creative, you can find your own fish foods. Fish enjoy things like earthworms, flies and mosquito larvae – all of which can be found right in your back yard. Brine shrimp is another common way to feed your fish on the cheap. It takes a little work, but most fish will not only thrive on that diet, they’ll enjoy their meals as well.

Lighting

Lighting is usually one of the more expensive things associated with owning an aquarium. Light fixtures tend to wildly fluctuate in price and can easily get into the hundreds of dollars if an owner isn’t careful. A cost effective option is by using a simple short light fixture that can be found at a hardware store. Especially if you’re growing plants in your aquarium, you might even be able to find certain plant-specific bulbs that will give you exactly what you need instead of taking a shot in the dark.

And finally, give some consideration to an LED flood light. Not only does it provide a generous amount of light, but it’s also inexpensive and uses little to no power.

Décor

We tell this to just about everyone: if you want to have a tank that’s uniquely yours, make it so. Put things inside it that reflect what you want to see and don’t be afraid about being creative. Flower pots, sculptures, nick knacks – anything from a local river or pond – do it. All you really need to do – particularly if it’s a natural element like a cool piece of small driftwood – is boil it to kill off any potential parasites and germs. Once that’s done though – there’s a whole swath of things you can do. Don’t go out and plunk $50 down on the ceramic diving guy. Make the tank yours!

Aquarium projects can be fun and easy to do on your own – and can save you a significant amount of money. Get creative, read articles, watch YouTube and put your own spin on things. As long as these things are safe, your projects will give you years of enjoyment!

Fish are wonderful pets to have and aquariums are the perfect accent to almost any indoor living space. Maintaining both however, is important not just for the health of your fish, but also for maintaining the aesthetic appeal of your tank as well.

Here are some tips that will help make the maintenance of your aquarium easy and worry-free. Let’s jump right in!

Condition your water

Humans have air. Fish have water. Having quality air is critical to our health. Having quality water is critical to theirs. While tap water is well and good for us, it comes with a whole swath of properties that need to be balanced in order to support aquatic life properly. De-chlorinators and biological aquarium supplements should be available at your local pet store.

Maintaining pH levels

pH measures the acidity and alkalinity of your tank’s water. Keeping a proper balance of the two will help your fish resist illness and help keep your aquarium clean. In addition, certain bacteria will also live in the tank – some good and some bad. Some of the good bacteria like to make their homes in things like filtration media and bio balls. Other, bad bacteria can grow along the walls of the tank. Make sure you have a balance of both. Keeping your pH in check will help keep the good stuff and kill off the bad stuff.

Maintaining temperature

Nothing is worse for a fish tank than constant changes in temperature. They need to be kept away from windows that get a lot of sun or near air conditioning or heating vents. Temperature should be a consistent 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the species. If you can’t maintain this temperature, then you’ll have to buy a heater for your tank.

Constantly cleaning your tank

This includes things like changing out the water and scrubbing the sides of the tank. Not everything that’s green is gold and algae certainly falls into that category. It can cloud the glass, make the water murky, depletes oxygen and in general can create an environment that’s harmful to aquatic life. There are a variety of tools out there that can help – but the insides of your tank should be scrubbed on a semi-regular basis.

With a well-managed tank, you will get many happy hours of enjoyment out of watching your fish. Good luck!

Regardless of anything you do that’s worth your time, you’re bound to come across some problems from time to time and while we wish things were different – aquariums aren’t all that much different. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the most common problem tank owners come into contact with and how some of it can be overcome.

Most of the major problems are caused by clarity, color and smell – and all of them can be solved. With the right mix of filtration media and bioballs, you can get your tank back to being crystal clear in no time!

Here are some of the most common issues you’ll encounter. Let’s jump right in!

Green water

If you have fish in any setting, you’re bound to deal with at least a little green water now and then. Water turns green when there is too much algae suspended in the water. This usually happens because there’s either an excess of sunlight – or more commonly – a surplus of necessary nutrient at their disposal.

Your run of the mill clarifier should take care of the problem – but when used in consort with the right filtering media, you shouldn’t have to worry about dealing with green water on an ongoing basis. If this doesn’t work, then you might have a bigger problem on your hands and you’ll have to do some leg work in order to find out where the source of the algae is.

Smelly water

Anytime you have a tank with a lot of fish in it, it’s bound to get a little smelly from time to time. If you come across this issue on an ongoing basis, then it likely stems from one of two issues: You either have too many fish or your tank is too small. The quick, albeit expensive choice is to simply buy a bigger tank. But in practical terms, you probably don’t need to.

The likely source of the issues comes from active carbon – and making sure both your chemical balance and filtering media are in good, working order. The other issue often comes from simply giving your fish too much food – and that odor is just coming from all the decomposing food resting at the bottom of the tank.

High ammonia levels

Ammonia is toxic to fish, therefore it’s imperative that you keep it at sustainable levels. Ammonia levels usually spike with a fish dies or when there’s an excess of decomposing food at the bottom of the tank. This can be fixed with a water change that’s equal to the same pH as the aquarium. You should also change the ammonia eliminator as well. Make sure that you’re testing the chemical composition regularly as sometimes swings can happen out of nowhere.

Maintenance is the solution to everything

At the end of the day, most to all of these problems can be avoided by simply keeping up on your tank’s regular maintenance. That means partial changes of water, cleaning your gravel and crystals as well as providing your weekly dose of beneficial bacteria and insuring that you’re using the right filtering media. Do that and you should be in pretty great shape. Good luck!

The old adage of ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ comes to mind when it comes to maintaining your aquarium. Aquariums are closed environments and because of that, you need to constantly be making sure that things are running as they should.

The winter months in particular carry with them a little added importance as even in warmer climates like ours here in Florida, the air dries out and bacteria in general finds the conditions for growing and reproducing to be much more appealing.

Here are some winter aquarium maintenance tips that can help keep your tank running as it should through the colder, drier season and give it a great shot to have an even stronger spring.

Water Changes

One of the most important things a tank owner can do is change the water in the winter every two weeks or so. A good standard to go by is about 10-15% of your tank’s volume should work just fine. You’ll want to vacuum the gravel, eliminate uneaten food and other residue that makes its way into the bottom of your tank that causes grime and harmful bacteria.

Test your water

Testing tank water is sometimes one of the most challenging maintenance tasks for a new tank owner to undertake. Water chemistry isn’t visible, so it’s something you simply need to be vigilant about on a more ongoing basis.

A great time to test your water is during the water change we discussed previously. You’ll want to make sure everything is balanced and checks out – from the tank’s pH, nitrates, nitrites and carbonate hardness. All of these chemicals can be purchased at most local pet stores so if you have questions on how to use them, simply ask someone at the store to walk you through it.

Filtration

The filter is both the lungs and heart of your tank. Not only does it help keep bad bacteria out, but it helps grow and maintain good bacteria that’s essential to the overall health of your tank. Filter media should be changed at least every four weeks and if you have a lot of fish, perhaps even more frequently than that.

Keeping on your tank in the winter is vital in the winter when the weather is a little colder, a little dryer and there’s more room for bacteria and other bad stuff to thrive. Like we said before, ask people at your local pet shop if you’re unclear on some of the maintenance you need to do or what kind of equipment you might need. Good luck!

To some people, bio balls are just small, plastic balls that sit in your tank, but the reality is that they’re so much more than that. When used properly, they provide users with a powerful biological filtration system for your aquarium.

One of the biggest advantages to bio balls is that unlike a lot of other tank-related media, they’re almost completely uncomplicated and are very easy to maintain. Here are some of the benefits of using bio balls in your tank and why you should consider them for your aquarium.

Easy to clean

Just like anything, bio balls can become clogged over time, but they’re very easy to clean. A simple rinse and your bio ball will be ready to go again! They may get dirty, but they never go bad!

Easy heavy lifting

In every fish tank, there’s good and bad bacteria. Good bacteria converts ammonia into nitrate and that good bacterium makes its home in bio balls. While the open-ended design of bio balls might make you think it’s for aesthetic reasons, it’s actually not. There’s a method to it all and in fact, it serves an important purpose as it increases the surface area of each ball. Bacteria likes to cling to the surface of objects, so the design of the ball simply provides bacteria with additional parking.

Easy to use

Depending on the design of your filter, bio balls simply go in a bag or a space and then you submerge them in the tank. That’s literally the only thing you have to do! It’s hard to get that much benefit from something with so little work to do on your end!

What’s the downside?

The truth is – there isn’t much downside to bio balls as tank media at all. However, people do mistake their purpose and expect them to do things they’re not supposed to. Bio balls are to be used for biological filtration only. They’re designed to house bacteria, NOT trap and remove waste from water.

Your filter should be in place before bio balls in your system so that it can catch waste before it reaches your bio balls. So while bio balls are fantastic for maintaining chemical balance in your tank – remember that they’re not there to do everything.

When used effectively, bio balls are an outstanding form of biological filtration. If you’re interested in how they can make a difference in your tank or would like to purchase them – give us a call today!

One of the most common questions we receive is whether our customers should choose bio balls or ceramic rings for their aquarium. While we obviously have our biases, the answer isn’t always black and white. Both of these filters are designed to perform differently and that’s necessary to understand.

Before we get into that, however – it’s important to know the two types of bacteria that these two filters are designed to clean out. The first is nitrifying bacteria that eats ammonia and nitrates. Most of the time you’ll find them on the surfaces of your aquarium. The second type is called denitrifying bacteria – and they do what they say they do – which is eat nitrates.

Bio balls only eradicate nitrifying bacteria, while ceramic noodles can do both.

Now – we know you’re probably thinking 1+1=2, here. That because ceramic noodles can carry both that they must be better. But this isn’t a ‘one or the other’ kind of thing. Ceramic noodles are designed to do more things, so they do. What bio balls do well however, they do really, really well.

Ceramic rings basically increase their surface over time. This happens because they have small pores that aren’t visible to the human eye. Those pores are where bacteria and other baddies make themselves at home. What can happen in many cases – is that they can become clogged easier than bio balls and especially in tanks where there is no real mechanical filtration – and this can cause problems.

When this happens, filtration becomes less effective and eventually you’ll find yourself having to replace your ceramic rings. Conversely, Bio Balls require about 20% of the maintenance and don’t need to be cleaned or replaced nearly as much.

Now, what should also be noted is that Bio Balls shouldn’t be seen as a panacea for all your filtration needs. Bio balls should only be used for biological filtration only. They simply exist to trap and remove waste. Ceramic rings will ultimately trap more bad stuff, but your bio balls will ultimately do a better job of denitrifying bacteria.

To get the most out of your Bio balls, you should always have your other filtration systems in place to catch waste before you depend on the bio balls, themselves. With that in place; between your filter and bio balls, you should be able to radically reduce the number of nitrates in your tank.

Bulkhead fittings are extremely useful not only for what they are actually intended for, but for many other, more improvised ways as well. The most common use is for attaching things like pipes, taps and outflows, and the like, or even waste pipes – but people have found many uses for them over the years outside of the usual intended use.

Here are some ways they’re used and how they can help. Let’s jump right in!

Aquariums

People use bulkheads in aquariums by drilling holes into the base of the tank- allowing them to drain water more seamlessly. If you’ve ever seen some of those deluxe aquariums in hotels or storefronts, they’re usually outfitted with bulkheads to make maintenance both easier and faster.

Ponds

Coy ponds are a popular fixture in today’s garden and are almost always outfitted with some sort of bulkhead. This allows for easy drainage that allows for whomever is maintaining the pond to add in cleaner water easier and more often. Coy fish need clean water to survive and this makes the process of providing them with that even easier.

Large liquid containers and its transportation

Anytime you see a big barrel, chances are they are being outfitted with bulkheads. Not only does it make it easier to empty liquid – but it makes it easier to seal containers as well. In addition, many of the trucks that transport these materials also have them installed, as it makes things easier in the event of an accident or spill to rid the vehicle itself of any potentially hazardous materials.

Hydronic systems

Any sort of water heater you have uses bulkhead fittings to seamlessly circulate water through pipes, into holding tanks and into heating areas. In these particular applications, they come in a variety of materials ranging from PVC to brass, metal and other materials. When it comes to heating pipes, you’ll most likely encounter brass fittings.

The type of bulkhead fitting you come across or need will largely be dependent on how the bulkhead fitting will be used. To learn more – or if you need one for your application, give us a call and we can help find a solution for you.

In their simplest form – bulkheads allow air and liquids to pass through the wall of a tank or aquarium. Where and how the fluids get there can change a bit from time to time, but that’s the general gist.

Usually when it comes to our products, we recommend that you get a professional to help install them – but inevitably we always come across some eager, ambitious and capable Do-it-yourselfers who want to give things a go on their own.

Here are some things you need to do and know if you’re planning on installing bulkheads on your own.

Make sure your bulkheads are clean

Make sure that you install your bulkheads cleanly and in dry conditions. That includes not using silicone or some sort of threading lubricant. Specifically with regards to silicone and lubricants – they can cause the gasket to slip out and not seal properly. Any installation should be completely dry.

Finding other sources of leaks

Take a few minutes using a file, nail file or a pocket knife to do some cleanup on the threading. Clean off any excess flashing – and be sure to do it on both the male and female threads. Be sure to cover the entire component, too – from the gasket-mating surface to the flange and the nut. This is a common source of leaks in bulkheads.

You absolutely MUST…

…Install the gasket on the flange side of the bulkhead – never on the nut side. If you install the gasket next to the nut it will lead to leaks as water will simply travel along the threads around the gasket and leak out of your tank. Don’t be afraid to hand tighten a little bit – but don’t go with more than a ¼ or ½ turn additional.

Be wary of using supports and external elements

Generally speaking, it’s a bad idea to support pumps and piping from a bulkhead. Instead – use the supports in a way so that weight is not on bulkheads and gaskets and causing undue stress on the mating surfaces.

Also – never screw anything into the external threads of a bulkhead. They are not standard threads and they will leak.